Acetylene generator



Feb, 19 1924. 1,483,898

R. ueo r ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Nov. 5, 1920 Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

* UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

RAYMOND R. *Lreo'r, or" BRUSSELS, ELGIUM, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To JAMESPULEG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ACETYIJENE GENERATOR.

Application filed November 5, 1920. SeriaINo. 421,836.

generation of acetylene gas, water is com-- monly fed to calcium carbideand this amount of water is often controlled by valves, so that onlysuch amount of water is allowed to pass the valve as will be required toproduce the desired amount of gas. Such processes are unsatisfactory formany reasons, chief among which is the zoxinability to properly regulatethe water with the result that too muchwater is fed and l the calciumcarbide acted upon" too rapidly so that it becomes floodedand'considerable carbide is wasted in this manner. 25 Moreover, in thepracticing of practically every prior process, it is necessary .toshutdown the apparatus from time to time in order? to remove the ash orreplenish the carbide. y With these considerations in'mind, theobject ofthe present inventionis to provide an apparatus for carrying out aprocess for generating acetylene gas by automatically controlling thesupply of water to the cal- 35 through a column of oil, whereby, in theevent too much water is fedto the carbide, the rapid generation of gaswhich results builds up a back pressure which operates back the waterfrom the carbide. In this manner, by controlling the pressure, theaction of the water on the carbide may be accuratelycontrolled andregulated so as to the process.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus, whereinthe foregoing process may be carried out, in a simple, economical andefiicient manner, and

wherein the operation of generating the gas. may be carriedonoontinuously and without interruption through the provision of meansfor replenishing the calcium carcium carbide by back pressure operatingupon a body of oil to automatically force.

obtain maximum efliciency and economyin.

I thereof are brackets 12, on which is adapted hide and removing the'ashwhile the apparatus is operating. l

Features of. the invention,--other than those adverted to,will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate in central vertical section oneformof appara-" tus which may be employed to carry out theprocess of thisinvention, but the construction thereinshown is tobe understood asillustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawing, 1 designates a vessel preferably cylindrical in form,provided with a sloping bottom'Q having at its center an invertedfrustro conical outlet 3. The

vessel 1 is provided with a fiaredtop 4 which may, for the purpose ofthis inventionbe left open so as to permit water to be readily pouredinto the vessel. The out let 3 at the bottom of the vessel is preferablyclosed by a conical valve 5 provided with a stem 6; The vesselissupported on any suitable base 7 througlnwhich may be extended a rockshaft'S having a laterally extending arm secured to the stem 6 of thevalve andprovided at one of its ends with a crank 9 by means of whichthe rock shaft may be oscillated for the purpose of raising or loweringthe valve-5 to allow the contents of the vessel to be discharged fromthe outlet 3 or to seal-the outlet 3 against such discharge. I

Positioned "withinthe vessel 1 is an inverted dome 10, cylindrical inform with a closed'top and an open bottom and of such diameter that theside walls of the dome are spaced from the side walls ofthe vessel "1. IThe dome is suspended within the vessel by means of a plurality ofbracket-s11 and the interior oflsuch dome constitutes the gas generatingchamber.- Adjacent the lower end of the dome and on theinterior to resta tray or container 13 for holding the calcium carbide. The top ofthetray 13 is open and the bottom thereof is perfoof the dome 10 froma'point abovethe'upper edge of the flared top .4 ofthe vessel anddownwardly into the vessel to a point just above the top of the tray andthrough this pipe 14 carbide and oil may be introduced. In order thatthe carbide may be properly distributed throughout the tray, a deflector15 is positioned above the tray and supported' on a tubular standard 16,the lower end of which is rigid with the bottom of the tray, wherebycarbide introduced into the apparatus through the pipe 1 1 strikes thedeflector and falls evenly throughout the tray.

In practice, water is introduced into the vessel and with the valve 5seated, the level ofsuch Water may be readily noted by a suitable sightgauge 17 associated with the vessel as shown. Thereafter oil 18 andcarbide 19 are introduced through the pipe 14. The carbide settles intothe tray 18 and a generation of gas commences immediately. Because ofthe position of the de fiector 15, the gas does not find exit throughthe pipe 14:, but rises to the top of the dome, where it finds exitthrough a pipe 20. This pipe is provided with a valve 21, which is soregulated that back pressure will result in the top of the dome. The oilintroduced into the dome will stratify, and the back pressure referredto will act upon the oil which, operating as a piston, will force thewater level in the dome downwardly. By regulating the valve 21 tocontrol the amount of back pressure, the oil piston is caused to forcethe water level within the dome downwardly to such extent that the waterwill attack the carbide only to the degreedesired and not to such extentas to.

the action of the water on the carbide may be accurately controlled, soas to generate the amount of gasdesired and not build up excess backpressure. In the event, of too quick action of the water on the carbide,the back pressure will become greater forcing the oil piston downwardlyso that the water is forced out of contact with the carbide. The oilwill then envelop the carbide and the action of generating the gas willpractically cease until the pressure has become substantially normal,whereupon the oil piston will rise and the water will again attack thecarbide. It is found, in practice, that through the use of an oil pistongoverned by back pressure, substantially uniform generation of the gaswill result, with consequent economy in carbide consumption.

The ash of the spent calcium carbide will fall through the perforatedbottom of the tray into the base of the vessel 2 whence it may bewithdrawn by lifting the valve 5 through the operation of the crank 9.Some water willnaturally flow from the vessel with the ash, but thiswater may be replenished by introducing more water into the top of thevessel. In order that the ash may not become solidified and difficult toremove by gravity flow through the valve opening 3, an agitator 22 ispreferably positioned in the base of the vessel and is carried by anoperating rod 28 which extends up through the hollow standard 16 andthrough the pipe 14 to a point above the top thereof. By operating therod 23, the ash is agitated and stirred up, so asto form a solutionadapted to readily flow through the outlet. A shoulder 24, which may bein the form of a nut, precludes the rod and agitator from dropping downand interfering with the operation of the valve 5.

The ash upon leaving the outlet 3 of the vessel may fall into a suitablesink 25 having a sewer connection 26 as shown.

The acetylene gas thus generated, after passing through the valve 21 maybe led off for immediate use or storage, but, in practice, I may employ,as a part of the apparatus, purifying and dehydratin means through whichthe gas is passed before leaving the apparatus. One form which suchmeans may partake is shown as mounted within a casing 27 superimposed ontop of the dome 10. Extending across the casing 27 and spaced from'thebottom is a perforated plate 28 and the pipe 20 may lead from thevalve 21 through the wall of the casing, so as to discharge the gas intothe casing below the perforated plate. Above the plate there ispositioned within the casing a number of sponges 29, while dependingfrom the top of the casing and positioned interiorly thereof is a cup 30provided with a cover 31. The cup and casin are flanged and bolts 32pass through said flanges and through the cover 31, in order to providea gas tight joint.

Substantially the lower half of the cup 30 is adapted to be filled withalcohol or some other suitable purifying agent and into this alcohol thegas, after passing through the perforated plate 28 and circulatingthrough the sponges 29 is adapted to flow through a plurality ofgoose-neck tubes 33, which are mounted in the base of the cup 30 andhave their outlet ends positioned below the surface of the alcohol inthecup. The gas finds exit from the outlet ends of said tubes 33 andafter bubbling up through the alcohol passes through a body'of wadding34, which serves to dry the gas before it is discharged through anoutlet pipe 85. The perforated partition 36 supports the wadding abovethe surface of the alcohol.

Bypassing the gas through the sponges, alcohol and wadding, it iscleansed and dehydrated and is delivered through the outlet pipe 35 in aclean dry condition for any use desired.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas generator of the ebb-and-floW type, a container, a memberdepending thereinto and open at its lower end, said member spaced fromthe wall of the container, means for supporting carbide within the lowerportion of said member, the space below said supporting meanscommunicating with the space between the walls of said member andcontainer, means open at top and bottom and depending within said memberwith its lower end terminating above said carbide supporting means, andan oil seal, Within said member, for said open lower end and serving toautomatically control contact of water with the carbide to regulate thegeneration of gas.

2. In a gas generator of the ebb-and-flow type, an open tank, aninverted bell secured therein, a tube open at both ends and eX- tendingvertically through the top of said bell, a carbide container mounted insaid bell below the open lower end of the tube, and an oil seal for saidopen lower end.

3. In a gas generator of the ebb-and-fiow type, an open tank, aninverted bell secured therein, a tube open at both ends andextendingvertically through the top of said bell, a carbide containermounted in said bell below the open lower end of the tube, an oil sealfor said open lower end, and means beneath the said lower end of saidtube to prevent upward escape of gas through said tube.

4. In a gas generator of the ebb-and-fiow type, an open tank, aninverted bell secured therein, a tube open at both ends and ex tendingvertically through the top of said bell, a carbide container mounted insaid bell below the open lower end of the tube, an oil seal for saidopen lower end, means beneath the said lower end of said tube to preventupward escape of gas through said tube, and an agitator disposed beneaththe carbide container, with means extended through the said tube andlast-named means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

, RAYMOND B. LIGOT.

Witnesses GEO. BABDEEL, EMILE VA URENSULE.

